Neck construction for a stringed musical instrument



Deb. 7, 1937.

R. DOPYERA 2,101,364

NECK CONSTRUCTION FOR A STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed June 6, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Pi A.

313 42 I I I a ATTORNEY.

Dec. 7, 1937. R DbpYERA 2,101,364

. NECK CONSTRUCTION FOR A STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed June 6, 1936 z'sheets-sneet 2 P .1 g. E

57 50 as 1 l P T INVENTOR. RUDOLPH DOPYERA.

' ATTOR Y.

Patented Dec. 7, 1937 NECK CONSTRUCTION FOR A STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Rudolph Dopyera, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June '6, 1936, Serial No. 83.882

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved neck construction for a stringed musical instrument.

The general object ofthe invention is to provide an improved neck for use on a stringed musical instrument such as a guitar.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a metal neck for a guitar wherein the neck is of such construction that all of the strings may be reached with case.

A further object of the inventionis to provide a metal neck for a stringed musical instrument wherein a metal'neck is provided with a cover.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved means for anchoring a metal neck on the body of a stringed musical instrument.

Other objects and the advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accom panying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a musical instrument showing my improved neckappliedthereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, central, sectional view through the center of a musical instrument;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of'Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a view similar toFig. 3 showing a modification of my invention;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. "I;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of 7; and

Fig. 10 is a section taken on line l0I0 of.Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings by reference character I have shown my invention as embodied in a neck which is indicated at Ill. This neck is shown as mounted on the body of a musical instrument which maybe a guitar and which is indicated generally at H.

Theneck I0 is preferably made of metal of light weight such as cast aluminum and includes an intermediate portion I2 which includes plane top surfaces I3 arrangedon opposite sides of a groove I4 which extend substantially the full length of the intermediate portion. A rounded rib I4 is disposed along the bottom of the intermediate portion. The outerend portion I5 has a plane top surface and has a stifi'ening rib l6 thereon which at one end is integral with the adjacent portion of the intermediate part I2 and at the other end-tapers away until it vanishes near the outer end of the neck. The portion I5 is disposed slightly below and is inclined at an angle relative to the portion I2.

The intermediate poition I2 at its inner end is secured to a foot portion H which includes a downwardly extending foot I8 which as shown has plane front and back faces disposed at an angle of slightly less than 90 to the top of the intermediate portion I2 and the foot I! has a 5 rearwardly extending projection l9 thereon and integral therewith. This projection I9 is reinforced by a rib which is integral with the projection and with the adjacent portion of the foot IT. The part I9 terminates in a round boss 2! which is apertured as at'22.

The intermediate portion I2 is provided with longitudinally extending slots 23 which are disposed on each side of the groove I4 while the portion I5 is provided with apertures 24. In constructing a musical instrument, for example, a guitar having my improvedneck applied thereto. the projecting member I9 may be disposed on transverse members 25 and 26 which are secured to the bottom21 of theguitar. H

A screw 28 passes through the aperture 22 and serves to hold the rear end of the member 20 in place. The member 25 extends the full distance between the bottom 2'! and the top 29 of the instrument and is notched as at 30 to receive the portion I9 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The bottom is rabbeted as at 3| and in this rabbeted portion the lower end of the foot member I! is fitted. The foot member I! has a screw 32 passing' therethrough which enters the transverse :0 member 25 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

The top of the intermediate portion I2 is covered with a suitable wood or other cover member 33 which may have suitable frets 34 thereon while the top of the outer end portion I5 is covered with a suitable wooden member 35. The bottom of the intermediate portion I2 which has a rounded rib is provided with a cover 36 which is preferably of wood and which is suitably recessed as at 31 to receive'the rounded bottom I4 of the rib asshown in Fig. 5.

In order that a wood to wood engagement may be made to hold the cover members 33 and theapertures 23 receive wooden blocks 38 and r the parts are all glued together as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The lower face of the outer end portion I5 is provided with a cover 39 as shown in Fig. 6.

As shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 the portion 33 is U preferably plane on both sides and the portion 36 hasside flanges '40 engaging this portion while the part 39 is plane on both sides and the part 35 has side flanges 4| which engage the part 39 so that the construction is reversed in the parts I I2 and I5 in so far as the disposition of the side flanges is concerned.

The portion I5 is provided with suitable string receiving members 42 which may be suitably operated by keys 43. The inner end of the foot I8 is curved as at C so that it will be self centering during assembly.

In Figs. '7, 8, and 9 I have shown a modification of my invention wherein the neck is similar to the neck previously described except that the projecting portion I9 is omitted and instead a foot 5! on the end of the neck is provided with a dovetailed projection 52 which fits in a suitable undercut rabbeted portion 53 in a cross block 54 secured to the front 55 and the bottom 56 of the instrument.

Further, in the modification shown the groove I4 is preferably omitted and a projecting rib 56 is provided with a slot 51 which opens downwardly. The slot is preferably shallowest in an intermediate portion 58 and increases in depth to a front portion 59 and a rear portion 6|]. In this slot I arrange a tension member 6| the front por-v tion of which is threaded at 62 to fit within a similarly threaded portion in the forward end of the intermediate portion of the neck. The rear end of the tension member 6| passes through an aperture 63 in the foot 5| and is threaded as at 64 to receive nuts 65 so that the member 6! may be placed under tension.

Since the high point 58 of the wall of the slot is engaged by the tension member 6| when the nut 64 is tightened tension is placed on the member 6| and this will tend to push upwardly the intermediate portion of the neck so that the proper tension will be secured in the neck.

From the foregoing description it will be, apparent that I have invented a novel neck for a stringed musical instrument which is economical in construction and highly eificient in use.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In a stringed musical instrument,,a body having a top and bottom member and a side wall, a transverse member on said bottom and spaced from said side wall, a second transverse member in said body adjacent the side wall, a neck having a foot piece thereon engaging said second transverse member, said foot piece having a projection thereon, said second member being slotted and said projection fitting in said slot,

and said projection fitting in said slot, said projection having an apertured boss therein, a screw passing through said boss and secured in said first transverse member, said neck having a longitudinally extending groove therein and having slots on each side of said groove, said. neck having a rib below said groove, said rib having a rounded lower surface, said neck including a front portion having a tapered rib therein, a plurality of string engaging members on said front portion, said neck having a cover member on the top thereof and having a second cover member on the bottom thereof, one of said cover members having flanges engaging the other cover member, a wooden block in said slots and means to secure said wooden block to the cover.

3. For use in a stringed musical instrument, a neck having a foot piece thereon, said foot piece having a projection thereon, said projection having an apertured boss therein, said neck having a longitudinally extending groove therein and having slots on each side of said groove, said neck having a rib below said groove, said rib having a rounded lower surface, said neck including a front portion having a tapered rib therein, said neck having a cover member on the top thereof and having a second cover member on the bottom thereof, one of said cover members having flanges engaging the other cover member, a wooden block in said slots and means to secure said wooden block to the top and bottom members.

4. In a stringed musical instrument, a neck, said neck being made of metal and having a groove in the bottom thereof, said groove tapering in depth from an intermediate portion towards both ends, a tension member in said groove and anchored at one end thereof, a body, means to secure the neck to said body, said body having an aperture therein, the other end of said tension member passing through said aperture and fastening means on the said other end of the tension member.

5. For use in a stringed musical instrument, a neck, said neck being made of metal and having a groove in the bottom'thereof, said groove tapering in depth from an intermediate portion towards both ends and a foot on said neck and adapted to be secured to the body of an instrument.

6. In a stringed musical instrument, a body having a top and bottom member and a side wall, a transverse member on said bottom and spaced from said side wall, a second transversemember in said body adjacent the side wall, a neck having a foot piece thereon engaging said second transverse member, said foot piece having a projection thereon, said second member being slotted and said projection passing through said slot, said projection engaging said first mentioned transverse member and means to secure said projection to said first transverse member.

7. In a stringed musical instrument, a body having a top and bottom member and a side wall, a transverse member on said bottom and spaced from said side wall, a second transverse member in said body adjacent the side wall, a neck having a foot piece thereon engaging said second transverse member, said foot piece having a projection thereon, said second member being slotted and said projection fitting in said slot, said projection having an apertured boss therein, fastening means passing through said boss and secured in said first transverse member, said neck having a longitudinally extending groove therein and having slots on each side of said groove, said neck having a rib below said groove, said rib having a rounded lower surface, said neck including a front portion having a rib therein, and a plu rality of string engaging members on said front portion.

RUDOLPH DOPYERA. 

